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Notes: Ramirez lands on 15-day DL

Notes: Ramirez lands on 15-day DL

KANSAS CITY -- Horacio Ramirez felt better on Friday, but not healthy enough to stay off the disabled list.

The Mariners placed Ramirez on the 15-day DL with tendinitis in his left shoulder after leaving Friday's start after only two innings against the Devil Rays.

"After the first inning, I went out for my warmup pitches and it was way too tight, way too stiff," Ramirez said on Friday. "I'm happy that today is not as bad as yesterday. When I got off the plane [Thursday], it was really pretty sore. When I woke up this morning, it was better than I thought it would be."

Ramirez will fly to Seattle on Sunday to be examined by team medical director Dr. Edward Khalfayan.

"I think it's a little risky to try to push it," Ramirez said. "I've had a couple of surgeries already on my shoulder. I think its better we do this [go on the DL] and let the inflammation go down.

"I haven't had any arm problems the last couple of years. That's why it surprised me. My mechanics are fine. I feel it's more like fatigue than anything else. I've felt it for about a week and a half, but it was never something in the back of my mind. It didn't make me too nervous."

Starter undecided: Manager Mike Hargrove said a decision has not been made on who will start on Tuesday against the Angels in place of Ramirez.

Jeff Weaver, who is eligible to come off the disabled list on Saturday after being out with right shoulder tendinitis, however, is not a candidate.

"Is he physically ready? No," Hargrove said.

Weaver, who was 0-6 with a 14.32 ERA in six starts, threw a bullpen session on Thursday and is scheduled for at least one more bullpen before throwing in a simulated game or making a Minor League rehab start.

"His shoulder is a lot, lot better," Hargrove said. "If he had thrown a simulated game or made a rehab start by this time, he would have been a viable option, but he hasn't."

Starting candidates from Triple-A Tacoma would include Justin Lehr and Jorge Campillo.

Huber promoted: Right-hander Jon Huber, who was 1-2 with a 4.01 ERA and five saves in 15 relief appearances with Tacoma, was recalled to take Ramirez's roster spot.

Huber debuted last Aug. 30 for the Mariners and went 2-1 with a 1.08 ERA in 16 relief appearances. He had a horrible Spring Training, however, with a 9.75 ERA. He allowed 13 runs and 21 hits in 12 innings.

"It was my first time being in camp and actually being in the mix to make the team," Huber said. "I added pressure on myself to do as well I had done last September, and the whole season really, instead of relaxing and playing the game. I understand I had a rough spring."

He started slowly at Tacoma before going 1-0 with four saves in his last seven relief appearances, while tossing 11 1/3 scoreless innings and holding hitters to a .150 average.

"I was able to figure a few things out and get back on track," Huber said. "It's too simple really, just slow down things in my head. I was trying to get through it, instead of slow things down and focus on the pitch."

While the Rainiers flew out on Friday for Tucson, Huber caught a flight to Kansas City.

"I'd rather fly by myself in that situation," he said. "The call [to the Majors] never gets old. It's still exciting."

He's back: Raul Ibanez, who had not started seven of the previous eight games because of back spasms, was back in the lineup on Friday. Ibanez, however, was not saying it was 100 percent.

"Close, it is better," he said. "It's good enough to get out there. They wouldn't let me go out there if they didn't think it was good enough."

Ibanez said he thinks he initially hurt the back on a Detroit-to-Seattle flight after a May 10 game, when he slept "wrong" on the plane.

"It's a really frustrating thing for me because of the way I work in the offseason," he said. "The hardest part is watching. When you're going through a long stretch of games [not playing], you almost feel like you're abandoning the guys. I felt bad about that."

Ichiro again: Ichiro Suzuki wasted no time extending his hitting streak to 18 games, the second longest current streak in the Majors (Derek Jeter has hit safely in 19 games). He led off Friday's game with a home run for the third time this season. It was the 24th time he has opened a game with a home run, tying Lou Brock for 15th on the all-time list for leadoff homers.

Revised lineup: Hargrove moved Jose Guillen to the third slot for only the eighth time this season, batted Ibanez clean up and Richie Sexson fifth. He said that allowed him to split the two right-handed hitters with the left-handed-swinging Ibanez.

He also moved up Kenji Johjima, who was hitting .320, to the sixth slot, while Adrian Beltre was dropped to the seventh hole for only the third time.